Micah 2:6

Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) Prophesy ye not.—The construction of this verse is very confused, but the intention of it is fairly clear. It contains the address of the oppressors to the true prophets, and their reply. The oppressors desire the prophets to cease prophesying; nevertheless, the prophecies shall be continued, but without benefit to those who will not put away their shame.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:6-11 Since they say, Prophesy not, God will take them at their word, and their sin shall be their punishment. Let the physician no longer attend the patient that will not be healed. Those are enemies, not only to God, but to their country, who silence good ministers, and stop the means of grace. What bonds will hold those who have no reverence for God's word? Sinners cannot expect to rest in a land they have polluted. You shall not only be obliged to depart out of this land, but it shall destroy you. Apply this to our state in this present world. There is corruption in the world through lust, and we should keep at a distance from it. It is not our rest: it was designed for our passage, but not for our portion; our inn, but not our home; here we have no continuing city; let us therefore arise and depart, let us seek a continuing city above. Since they will be deceived, let them be deceived. Teachers who recommend self-indulgence by their doctrine and example, best suit such sinners.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy; they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame - The words are very emphatic in Hebrew, from their briefness, "Prophesy not; they shall indeed prophesy; they shall not prophesy to these; shame shall not depart." The people, the false prophets, the politicians, forbade God and Micah to prophesy; "Prophesy not." God, by Micah recites their prohibition to themselves, and forewarns them of the consequences.

Prophesy ye not - , literally drop not. Amaziah and the God-opposing party had already given an ungodly meaning to the word . "Drop not," "distill not," thus unceasingly, these same words, ever warning, ever telling of "lamentation and mourning and woe Ezekiel 2:10; prophesying not good concerning us, but evil" 1 Kings 22:18. So their descendants commanded the Apostles Act 4:18; Acts 5:40 not to speak at all or to teach in the Name of Jesus Acts 5:28. Did we not straitly command you, that ye should not teach in this Name? Acts 6:13. This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. God answers; They shall certainly prophesy. The Hebrew word is emphatic. The prophets had their commission from God, and Him they must obey, whether Israel Ezekiel 2:5, Ezekiel 2:7 would hear or whether they would forbear. So must Micah and Isaiah Isa 28:9-14, Isaiah 28:22 now, or Jeremiah Jer 1:7, Jeremiah 1:17; Jeremiah 26:10-15, Ezekiel, and the rest afterward. "They shall not prophesy to these."

He does not say only, "They shall not prophesy to them," but, to these; that is, they shall prophesy to others who would receive their words: God's word would not be stayed; they who would hearken shall never be deprived of their portion; but to these who despise, "they shall not prophesy." It shall be all one, as though they did not prophesy; the soft rain shall not bedew them. The barn-floor shall be dry, while the fleece is moist Judges 6:37. So God says by Isaiah; "I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it" Isaiah 5:6. The dew of God's word shall be transferred to others. But so shame (literally shames manifold shame,) shall not depart, but shall rest upon them forever. God would have turned away the shame from them; but they, despising His warnings, drew it to themselves. It was the natural fruit of their doings; it was in its natural home with them. God spoke to them, that they might be freed from it. They silenced His prophets; deafened themselves to His words; so it departed not. So our Lord says John 9:41, Now ye say, we see; therefore your sin remaineth; and John the Immerser John 3:36, The wrath of God abideth on him. It hath not now first to come. It is not some new thing to be avoided, turned aside. The sinner has but to remain as he is; the shame encompasseth him already; and only departeth not. The wrath of God is already upon him, and abideth on him.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6. Prophesy ye not, say they—namely, the Israelites say to the true prophets, when announcing unwelcome truths. Therefore God judicially abandons them to their own ways: "The prophets, by whose ministry they might have been saved from shame (ignominious captivity), shall not (that is, no longer) prophesy to them" (Isa 30:10; Am 2:12; 7:16). Maurer translates the latter clause, "they shall not prophesy of such things" (as in Mic 2:3-5, these being rebellious Israel's words); "let them not prophesy"; "they never cease from insult" (from prophesying insults to us). English Version is supported by the parallelism: wherein the similarity of sound and word implies how exactly God makes their punishment answer to their sin, and takes them at their own word. "Prophesy," literally, "drop" (De 32:2; Eze 21:2).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Prophesy ye not; it is manifest that our version here intends this as an interdict, or prohibition, laid upon the true prophets, whose hearers were so far from amending and turning unto God in compliance with his counsel, and obedience to his commands given out by his prophets, that rulers and people agree to silence the prophets, and expressly forbid them to distil or drop their severe predictions against the kingdom.

That prophesy faithfully, as Isaiah, Hoses, Joel, and Micah now did.

They, or my true prophets, saith God,

shall not prophesy to them; shall cease from further troubling and terrifying these people, who fear not my judgments, and will not by repentance prevent their miserable captivity and shame. So God doth in his displeasure grant their desire, and gratify the interdict in judgment against them.

That they shall not take shame; that they may, as they seem resolved to put off all blushing and shame, go on without checks or rebuke, till they be utterly ruined: they are impatient of that shame they should take to themselves for their sins, and therefore would not hear the truth; so it shall be, and they shall not be shamed to repentance, but they shall be ashamed in their ruin. This seems the meaning of the words in our version, and I will not add any other, though there are several versions which somewhat vary from ours.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy,.... Or "drop not" (h); such terrible words, such menacing things; let them not flow from your lips with such profusion and abundance; cease from speaking in the name of the Lord, if we can hear nothing else but sharp reproofs, and severe judgments: or the first word respects the true prophets of the Lord, and forbids their prophesying; and, according to others, the next should be rendered, "let them prophesy", or "drop" (i); that is, the false prophets, that prophesy smooth things; and so the sense is, let the one prophesy, but not the other:

they shall not prophesy to them; these are the words of the Lord, in answer to the other, that since they did not like his prophets, their should no more be sent to, them, nor should drop or distil the rain of doctrine upon them; but, as a judgment upon them, should be deprived of them: or, "they shall not prophesy according to these" (k); as the false prophets do, not such things as they; or the whole may be rendered thus, "prophesy not", or, "if they prophesy, let them not prophesy as these" (l); such things as these; namely,

that shame shall not overtake them; that is, as the false prophets, who said that shame and confusion should not come upon the people of Israel, or the wrath denounced against them, but they should enjoy great peace and prosperity: but the first sense seems best, and the meaning of this clause to be, that the true prophets of the Lord should not prophesy any more to this people, since they did not choose they should: "that shame might not come upon them"; that the prophets might not be treated by them in a shameful and ignominious manner: or, as others, "shame shall not depart from them" (m); though they think to escape it by forbidding the prophets prophesying terrible things to come, yet confusion will be their portion at last.

(h) "ne stilletis", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Burkius, Junius & Tremellius; "ne stillatote", Piscator. (i) "stallent isti", Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius; "stillanto", Piscator. (k) "secundum istos", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. (l) "Ne vaticinemini, aut si vaticinentur ne talia vaticinentur", Castalio. (m) "non recedent ignominiae", De Dieu; "non retroageretur summa ignominia", Cocceius; "non recederet ignominia magna", Burkius.

Geneva Study Bible

{d} Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: {e} they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.

(d) Thus the people warn the prophets that they speak to them no more, for they cannot endure their threatenings.

(e) God says that they will not prophesy, nor receive any more of their rebukes or taunts.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6, 7. Hostility of the two classes of Prophets

6. Prophesy ye not] Micah and the prophets like-minded with him (e. g. Isaiah) are angrily bidden by the flattering, popular prophets to hold their peace. Comp. Isaiah 30:9-10, ‘For it is a rebellious people … Who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things; speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits (or, illusions); also Amos 2:12; Amos 5:10. Thus, in the times of Isaiah, Amos, and Micah, we can already detect the germs of the persecution which broke out with such severity under Manasseh. The faithful prophets of Jehovah were sometimes obliged to hide themselves (Isaiah 30:20), and it seemed as if ‘the godly man had perished out of the land’ (Micah 7:2). From the context in which these words ‘Prophesy ye not,’ occur, we should suppose that the speakers were the ‘rebellious people’ (see Isaiah 30:9; Isaiah 30:20), represented by the grandees, though most commentators think that they are rather the unfaithful, smooth-speaking prophets, sometimes called ‘false prophets.’ Obs., the word used, here and in Micah 2:11 (also in Amos 7:16, Ezekiel 21:2) for ‘prophesy’ is literally ‘drop;’ it was perhaps originally a figurative expression for the constant flow and persuasive eloquence of prophecy. It is however probably used by Micah’s hostile critics in an unfavourable sense (‘dropping’ = constantly finding fault, comp. ‘here a little, there a little,’ Isaiah 28:10), so that we may venture to render here, Prattle ye not. Speech in general is said to ‘drop as the dew,’ Deuteronomy 32:2; comp. Job 29:22.

say they to them that prophesy] Rather, (thus) they prattle. The prophet takes up their word, and flings it back to them sarcastically. This view makes the grandees the speakers, in accordance with the context. Most recent commentators, however, suppose a sudden introduction of the false prophets (see last note).

they shall not prophesy to them] Rather, they should not prattle of these things. Micah and his companions are exceeding the limits of their commission. It is for the grandees to decide political matters; and to chatter about the ruin of the state is simply high treason.

that they shall not take shame] Rather, reproaches are unceasing. By ‘reproaches’ the hostile speakers mean denunciations such as that in Micah 2:1-2, Isaiah 5. Comp. again Isaiah 28:10 (where however A. V. needs to be corrected).

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 6-11. - § 7. The threat announced in ver. 3 is further vindicated and applied to individual sinners, with a glance at the false prophets who taught the people to love lies. Verse 6. - Prophesy ye not; literally, drop ye not, as Amos 7:16 (where see note). The speakers are generally supposed to be the false prophets who wish to stop the mouths of Micah and those who are like minded with him. This is probably correct; but these are not the only speakers; the people themselves, the oppressing grandees, who side with the popularity hunting seers, are also included (see note on ver. 12). Say they to them that prophesy; rather, thus they prophesy (drop). Micah uses their own word sarcastically, "Do not be always rebuking; Thus they rebuke." The rest of the verse belongs to the same speakers, and should be rendered, "They shall not prophesy of these things; reproaches never cease." The great men and the false prophets complain of the true prophets that they are always proclaiming misfortune and rebuking the people, and they bid them leave such denunciations alone for the future. The passage is very difficult, and its interpretation has greatly exercised commentators; the above is virtually the explanation of Ewald, Hitzig, Caspari, and Cheyne. Orelli makes the two last clauses Micah's answer to the interdict of the adversaries, "Should one not prophesy of these things? Should reproaches (against the true prophets) never cease?" We prefer the interpretations given above, and consider the prophet's reply to be given in the next verse. Micah 2:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

As such a prophecy as this met with violent contradiction, not only from the corrupt great men, but also from the false prophets who flattered the people, Micah indicates it by showing that the people are abusing the long-suffering and mercy of the Lord; and that, by robbing the peaceable poor, the widows, and the orphans, they are bringing about the punishment of banishment out of the land. Micah 2:6. "Drip not (prophesy not), they drip: if they drip not this, the shame will not depart. Micah 2:7. Thou, called house of Jacob, is the patience of Jehovah short, then? or is this His doing? Are not my words good to him that walketh uprightly?" הטּיף, to drip, to cause words to flow, used of prophesying, as in Amos 7:16. The speakers in Micah 2:6 are not the Jews generally, or the rich oppressors who have just been punished and threatened. The word yattı̄phū does not agree with this, since it does not mean to chatter, but to prophesy, as Micah 2:11 and also the primary passage Deuteronomy 32:2 show. But Micah could not call the rich men's speaking prophesying. It is rather false prophets who are speaking, - namely, those who in the word 'al-tattı̄phū (prophesy not) would prohibit the true prophets from predicting the judgments of the Lord. The second hemistich is rendered by most of the modern commentators, "they are not to chatter (preach) of such things; the reproaches cease not," or "there is no end to reproaching" (Ewald, Hitzig, Maurer, and Caspari). But this is open to the following objections: (1) That הטּיף ל in Micah 2:11 means to prophesy to a person (not concerning or of anything); (2) that sūg or nâsag means to depart, not to cease; (3) that even the thought, "the reproaches to not cease," is apparently unsuitable, since Micah could not well call a prohibition against prophesying an incessant reproach; and to this we may add, (4) the grammatical harshness of taking לא יטּיפוּ as an imperative, and the following לא יסּג as an indicative (a simple declaration). Still less can the rendering, "they (the true prophets) will not chatter about this, yet the reproach will not depart" (Ros., Rckert), be vindicated, as such an antithesis as this would necessarily be indicated by a particle. The only course that remains, therefore, is that adopted by C. B. Michaelis and Hengstenberg, viz., to take the words as conditional: if they (the true prophets) do not prophesy to these (the unrighteous rich in Micah 2:1, Micah 2:2 : Hengstenberg), or on account of these things (Michaelis), the shame will not depart, i.e., shameful destruction will burst incessantly upon them. On the absence of the conditional אם, see Ewald, p. 357, b. Such addresses as these do not please the corrupt great men; but they imagine that such threats are irreconcilable with the goodness of Jehovah. This is the connection of Micah 2:7, in which the prophet meets the reproach cast upon his threatening words with the remark, that God is not wrathful, and has no love for punishing, but that He is stirred up to wrath by the sins of the nation, and obliged to punish. האמוּר is not an exclamation, "O, what is said! equals O for such talk as this!" (Ewald, Umbreit, Caspari); for it cannot be shown that the participle is ever used in this way, and it cannot be supported from הפכּכם in Isaiah 29:16, especially as here a second vocative would follow. Nor is it a question: Num dicendum? Dare one say this?" (Hitzig). For although he might be an interrogative particle (cf. Ezekiel 28:9), the passive participle cannot express the idea of daring, in support of which Hitzig is quite wrong in appealing to Leviticus 11:47 and Psalm 22:32. האמוּר is not doubt a vocative, but it is to be taken in connection with bēth-Ya‛aqōb: thou who art called house of Jacob. There is very little force in the objection, that this would have required האמוּר לך ב י, since אמר, when used in the sense of being called or being named, is always construed with ל of the person bearing the name. The part. pal of 'âmar only occurs here; and although the niphal, when used in this sense, is generally construed with ל, the same rule may apply to אמר as to קרא in the sense of naming, - namely, that in the passive construction the ל may either be inserted or omitted (cf. Isaiah 56:7; Isaiah 54:5; Deuteronomy 3:13), and האמוּר may just as well be used in the sense of dicta (domus) as הנּקראים in Isaiah 48:1 in the sense of vocati equals qui appellantur. The whole nation is addressed, although the address points especially to the unrighteous great men. Is Jehovah indeed wrathful? i.e., has He not patience, does He not exercise long-suffering? Qātsar rūăch must not be explained according to Exodus 6:9, but according to Proverbs 14:27. Or are these ('ēlleh, the punishments threatened) His deeds? i.e., is He accustomed, or does He only like to punish? The answer to these questions, or speaking more correctly, their refutation, follows in the next question, which is introduced with the assuring הלוא, and in which Jehovah speaks: My words deal kindly with him that walks uprightly. The Lord not only makes promises to the upright, but He also grants His blessing. The words of the Lord contain their fulfilment within themselves. In היּשׁר הולך, it is for the sake of emphasis that yâshâr stands first, and the article properly belongs to hōlēkh; but it is placed before yshr to bind together the two words into one idea. The reason why the Lord threatens by His prophets is therefore to be found in the unrighteousness of the people.